Design Associates

About Design Associates

Simple, sophisticated, yet invitingly luxurious interiors are the trademark of Design Associates. Our mission from the beginning was to create interiors that reflect each client’s personal taste and vision. The attention to detail is what makes every project unique.

After working in the field of interior design for a combined period of over 40 years, Lynette Zambon and Carol Merica have the skill, knowledge and ability to create an interior that is right for each individual client. They are known to transform a room with harmony, beauty and a touch of drama. In every project you will experience a fine tuned layering of furnishings, textiles, lighting, art and antiques. By incorporating an intuitive understanding of design and composition, along with their client’s dreams and wishes, the result is a home that is warm and inviting in every way imaginable.

Lynette Zambon (Senior Designer/President), is a native Montanan, who studied interior design at Montana State University and received her national accreditation with NCIDQ in 2000. Lynette’s designs are beautifully rendered with a mélange of antiques, fine textiles, and simple detailed lines of upholstery. Lavishly appointed, her interiors are attractive and livable.

Carol Merica (Senior Designer), also a Montana local and graduate of Montana State University, received her national accreditation with NCIDQ in 1998. Carols signature design element is to classically create rooms which are infused with warm color palettes of richness and texture. She accents with contrast and fine embellishment for the finishing touch.

Design Associates inherent sensibility and respect for the architect’s visions is always emphasized in every detail. The pair has worked on many projects throughout the West, and nation wide. Wherever the location, their overall approach has always been to create a feeling of relaxed comfort and timelessness. Their work has been published in Western Art & Architecture, Big Sky Journal Home, as well as Cowboys and Indians and a variety of other publications.

Top 10 Reasons to Work with a Designer

1) The ability to solve problems. Whether you’re plagued by a lack of storage, a featureless room or poor traffic flow, Holly Frye of Interiors By Design is an expert in understanding color, scale, light and space – concepts that can be hard for even the most talented amateur to get right. 2) The expertise to prevent costly mistakes. Most people decorate only once or twice in a lifetime. There are lots of things that are hard to know unless you’ve encountered them dozens of times before. 3) Access to a much wider range of resources. There’s a world of fabric and furnishing designs available just “to the trade”. Not only do we have access, but we will instantly know who specializes in what you are looking for – thus saving valuable time. 4) A Rolodex worth millions. Any design is only as good as its execution, and we know the best workrooms, carpenters and painters, so we have the connections – and the clout – to make sure the job will be top-notch. 5) Guidance through the decision making process. Perhaps the toughest aspect of decorating is selecting from the multitude of choices available. We know our sources well enough to edit down the options and offer seasoned advice to steer you through the process. 6) Better quality and longer lasting style. We won’t succumb to trends that you will tire of in no time but will create a timeless look you’ll enjoy living with for years. Instead of relying on solely off-the-rack items, we will also add custom details and paint finishes that will make your house an individual masterpiece. 7) Help with setting priorities. We will give you advice on how best to spend your money now – and plan for future phases of the decorating process. If you’re on a budget (and who isn’t?), you need us to help allocate your dollars to get the biggest bang for your buck. 8) Arbitration with your significant other. Sometimes the role of the designer is more marriage counselor than designer, but it’s an expected part of the process. If there is a disagreement about an approach, we can be the third party without vested interest. 9) The power to advocate with tradespeople, showrooms and manufactures. We set a high standard, and because we work with these resources regularly, we have more leverage to get things repaired or replaced. Long standing business relationships help resolve disputes in a professional manner. 10) The power to get the job done! How often have you given up halfway through a project or neglected those last few niggling details? It’s our job to follow through on every aspect of the decorating process and make sure that all the elements have been completed to your satisfaction. -Interiors By Design

Friday, August 5, 2011

The Garden Stool

Garden stools have a way of popping up quite frequently these days in just about every designers work, leaving many wondering where did this quaint little piece come from?
The drum-shaped design originated in China between 960-1279 under the Song Dynasty. They were typically made of glazed stone or porcelain and actually used in gardens. Today they are made out of just about anything and placed almost everywhere indoors!